Critical thinking is critical thinking standards objective analysis of facts to form a judgment.

The earliest documentation critical thinking standards critical thinking are the teachings of Socrates recorded by Plato. Socrates established the fact that one cannot depend upon those in «authority» to have sound knowledge and insight. He demonstrated that persons may have power and high position and yet be deeply confused and irrational. He established the importance of seeking evidence, closely examining reasoning and assumptions, analyzing basic concepts, and tracing out implications not only of what is said but of what is done as well.

Developing critical thinking

Case study books,The Biography of Adam Smith,Creative writing majors, His method of questioning is now known as «Socratic questioning» and is the best known critical thinking teaching strategy. Socrates set the agenda for the tradition of critical thinking, namely, to reflectively question common beliefs and explanations, carefully distinguishing beliefs that are reasonable and logical from those that—however appealing to our native egocentrism, however much they serve our vested interests, however comfortable or comforting they may be—lack adequate evidence or rational foundation to warrant belief. Critical thinking was described by Richard W. The «first wave» of critical thinking is often referred to as a ‘critical analysis’ that is clear, rational thinking involving critique. Thinking about one’s thinking in a manner designed to organize and clarify, raise the efficiency of, and recognize errors and biases in one’s own thinking.

Critical thinking is inward-directed with the intent of maximizing the rationality of the thinker. Contemporary critical thinking scholars have expanded these traditional definitions to include qualities, concepts, and processes such as creativity, imagination, discovery, reflection, empathy, connecting knowing, feminist theory, subjectivity, ambiguity, and inconclusiveness. Some definitions of critical thinking exclude these subjective practices. This section needs additional citations for verification. This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia’s quality standards. The specific problem is: Poor grammar.